Control for aerial machines



A. F. BLASIAR.

CONTROL FGR AERIAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I917. RENEWED JUNE |4.1921. 1,385,858.

Patented July 26, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Q vweutoz M) f.

A. F. BLASIAH. CONTROL FOR AERIAL MACHINES. APPLICATION FILED APR. 20, I917 RENEWED JUNE 14,1921.

Patented July 26, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. F. BLASIAR.

CONTROL FOR AERIAL MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. I911. RENEWED JUNE I4, 1921.

' Patented July 26, 1921.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

| WIFE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTE UR F. BLASIAR, OF G'U'ILFORD, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGN- .MENTS, OF FOR'IY-NINE PER CENT. T WILLIAM BOHLEBER, OF NEW YORK,

Application filed April 20, 1917, Serial No. 183,361.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, ARTHUR F. BLASIAR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Guilford, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Controls for Aerial Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention which constitutes the subject matter of this application relates to a control for aerial machines and is an improvement upon m co-pending application Ser. No. 89,517, fi ed April 7th, 1916. In

- my previous application the valve mecha- 1118111 is mounted upon the control post. In my present application I have. mounted the valve mechanism directly on the cylinder of the servo-motor, and thereby have eliminated several connections between the valve mechanism and the cylinder, and have otherwise simplified the construction illustrated and described in said application. 1

In the drawings,

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically a plan view of a portion of a tractor biplane with parts broken away to show detail connections and constructions.

Fig. 2 illustrates a side view of the preferred form of elevator control showing, among other things, the servo-motor, the beam to which the control post is connecte Fig. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of the control post and the valve connections of the servo-motor for the horizontal rudder control or elevator control illustrated in Fig. 2, the valve arrangements being shown in section to illustrate the interior construction thereof.

Fig. 4 is a-section taken on line 4-4 of Fi .3.

ig. 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fi 3.

ig. 7 is .a section taken on line 7-7 of Fi 3.

ig. 8 illustrates a modified form of servomotor designed particularly to control the ailerons or the vertical rudder.

Fig. 9 illustrates an enlarged view of the control mechanism for manipulating the aileron servo-motor.

- CONTROL FOR AERIAL Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 26, 1921. Renewed June 14, 1921. Serial No. 477,602.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral 10 designates the body of the tractor provided with wings 11 (only one the servo-motor 20 are actuatedby mechamsm located immediately in advance of the seat 17. The specific means for actuatin the servo-motor .18 comprises a hand whee 21 pivotally mounted at 22 upon the arm of the control post 23, and the connections between the servo-motor and this hand wheel 21 comprises a cord 24 extending around pulleys 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31 and the wheel 32 rigidly mounted upon the steering wheel Cords 38 and 39 serve to connect the ailerons with the servo-motor 18. The turn ing of the wheel 21 inone direction serves to veer the ailerons in one direction and the movementof said wheel in the other direction serves to veer the ailerons in a reverse direction.

The connection between the servo-motor 20 and the elevator 15 comprises the control post 23, walking beam 33, arms 34 and 35 and cords 36 and 37, which are connected to each of the arms 34: and 35.

The connection between the servo-motor 19 and the rudder 14 consists of cords 38 andrudder bar is established by means of the cords 41 and 42.

I have illustrated in the drawings and described above the various connectlons of the servo-motors employed with the ailerons, f

rudder and elevators. It maybe stated at this point that the specific form of servomotor for controlling the elevators preferably difiers from the form of servo-motor which is emplo ed to control the rudder and the ailerons. will first proceed to describe in detail the mechanism for controlling the elevators by means of the servo-motor 20 being illustrated), ailerons 12, propeller 13,

and will thereafter describe in detail the Located in proximity to the seat 17 is the pivoted walking beam 33 provided with the levers 34 and 35 previously described. To the control post 23, which is rigidly mounted upon the walking beam 33, is 1pivotally connected a control arm 43 (see igs. 2, 3 and 4). This control arm is, in fact, a part of the control post but as each is adapted to serve purposes not served by the other I refer to them as separate elements for the sake of clearness of description. The control arm 43 is piovted at 44 (see Figs. 3 and 4) to the control post 23 and the movement of the control arm about this pivot is determined by the adjustment of the set screws 45 and .46 (see Fig. 3) which come into contact with the upwardly projecting arm 47 of the control 0st 23. ThlS movement of the arm 43 relatlvely to the control post is limited but sufiicient for the purpose intended, as will be clear from the statement of operation below. It may be, stated, however, at this point that the movement to the ri ht (backward) as viewed from Fig. 3 resu ts in a similar movement being imparted to the control post by means of the servomotor. A movement of the control arm to the left (forward) results in a similar movement being imparted to the control post by said servo-motor. These movements are of course in turn transmitted, by the intermediate connections previously described, to the elevators.

The control arm 43 is provided with a rigid arm 48 projecting downwardly from the pivot 44. This arm 48 is connected through the link 49 to the lever 50 which actuates the various pilot valves of the servo-motor. The servo-motor proper (see Figs. 2 and 5) comprises amon other things the cylinder 51, one end of w ich is pivotally connected at 87 to the control post,

piston .53 and piston rod 54, the latter being pivotally connected to some fixed part 55 of the tractor. At 56 I illustrate a valve housing mounted upon the cylinder 51. Within this housing are contained the various valves and inlet and exhaust ports for controlling the admission of compressed fluid to and discharge of fluid from said 0 linder whereby the cylinder may be moved either to the right or left (backward or forward) to actuate the control post, walking beam and elevators, it being understood that the movement of the control post in one direction raises the ivoted elevators and the movement of sai control post in the opposite'direction lowers said elevators. The specific construction of the various instrumentalities for controlling the admission of fluid toand discharge of fluid from said cylinder I will now describe in detail.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 3 and 5 it will be noted that the housing 5.6 is suitably mounted upon one endof the cylinder 51 and access may behad thereto by removing the cover plate 57. The lever 50 is pivoted at 58 on the interior of the housing and one end of this lever projects outwardly through the opening 59 and connects with link 49 as previousl described. The housing is provided wit a chamber 60 in constant communication, through the inlet 61, with a fluid pressure slap ly not shown. This chamber 60 is tappe by two orts 62 and 63 through one of which the uid under pressure is adapted to flow to one side of t e piston 53 and through the other of which the fluid is adapted to flow to the other side of said iston. Within the hous. ing 56 are two in etvalves 64 and 65 and two exhaust valves 66 and 67, all of which are positively operated, normally closed by suitable springs, and res ctively provided with stems 68, 69, 70 an 71. In the front and rear of valve 64 there are small chambers 72 and 73; in the front and rear of valve 65 there are chambers 74 and 75; in the front and rear of valve 66 there are chambers 76 and 77; and in the front and rear of valve 67 there are chambers 78 and 79. Connected to the chamber 72 is one end of a pipe 80, the other end of which is connected to one end of the cylinder to admit and discharge fluid from one side of the piston .53, and. connected to the chamber 74 is one end of a pipe or conduit 81, the other end of which is connected to the other end of the cylinder to admit and discharge fluid from the other side of vthe piston 53. Communication is established between the chambers 72 and 77 by means of the passage 82 and a similar passa 83 establishes communication between t e chambers 74 and 79. Connecting the chambers 76 and 78 are exhaust ports 84 and 85, leading to the atmosphere.

ghave previously stated that thepiston an cure to some fixed part 55 of the machine.

(piston rod of the servo-motor 18 is se- The other endof the servo-motor is pro- 'vided with an arm 86 which is pivotally connected at 87 to the control post 23. Big-.-

idly connected to link 49 is a horizontal rod 88 adapted toreciprocate back and forth in the housing 5 The operation of the construction illustrated in Figs. 2 to 7 is as follows. In flying either one or both of the pilots hands are on the steering wheel 21. A forward push on this wheel (as distinguished from a rotation of it) results in a corresponding movement of the control arm 43 upon which said wheel is mounted. It requires, at most, 4

only a slight movement of the control arm around its pivot 44 to bring the adjustable set screw 46 into contact with the upper (backward). The

pressure chamber 60 has been discharged to the left of the piston 53 to force the cylinder 51, valve casing 56 and control post 23 sufliciently to the left so as to enable the pivoted lever 50 again to assume the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to permit the inlet valve 64 and exhaust valve 67 to close. This movement of the control arm therefore enables the servo-motor to lower the elevators, and the only force required, eliminating friction, in accomplishing this object is that required to open the inlet and exhaust valves. The compressed fluid in passing from the chem- .ber60 to the cylinder 51 traverses in succession the passages 62, chamber 73, chamber 72, and pipe 80. The exhaust from the other side of the piston takes place through the pipe 81, chamber 74, passage 83, chamber 79, chamber 78, and exhaust port 85. A movement of the control arm to the right (backward) opens the inlet valve 65 andex haust valve 66 resulting in a movement of the servo-motor and control post to the right opening of the inlet valve 65 establishes communication between the chamber 60 and that end of the cylinder to the right of the piston 53 through the intermediate passage 63, chamber 75. chamber 74 and ipe 81. The exhaust from the other side of the piston takes place through pipe 80, chamber 72, assage 82, chamber 77, chamber 76 and ex aust port 84'.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the various valves contained in the servomotor are always normally closed against both the inlet of pressure to and the exhaust of pressure from the cylinder 51. It will be obvious that should the servo-motor, for any reason, become inoperative the elevators may be directly controlled from the control arm. The upwardly directed 'arm 470m the control post in that event will come in contact with the set screws 45 or 46 as the case may be and said control arm andcontrol post can then be actuated as a unit. It will be noted, even in this event, that the various valves will 'be actuated as before in order tomaintain atmospheric pressure on both sides of the piston 53. It may be mentioned that the control arm will-be just as easy to manipulate or to maintain in a given posit-ion regardless of the atmospheric dist-urbances. A gust of wind, for example, im-

pinging against the elevators will of coursehave a tendency to move the control post in a certain direction, but the movement of the control post automatically opens one of as well as automatically. In

the inlet valves to admit-pressure into the cil' der to resist this movement. The force, t e efore, upon the control post,.in any event, will only be, as previously stated, what is required to open one of the inlet valvesand the corresponding exhaust valve.

In Fig. 8 I have illustrated a slightly modi fied' form of arrangement of the servomotor more particularly adapted to control the ailerons and the rudder. The valve mechanism is exactly the same as that illustrated in Fig. 3, but is more or less centrally located with respect to the cylinder 51, the latter being tudinally with respect 'to the shaft or piston rod 54 which shaft is fixed to postsv or brackets 89 and 90 located upon the base 91. The movable cylinder 53 is provided with a projection 88 to which the cords 38 and 39, or 38 and 39 are attached, depending upon,

whether the servo-motor is connected to the rudder or the ailerons. It will be noted, in connection with the modified form, that the principle of its operation is identical to the principles described in connection with the construction illustrated in Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive. Should the intermediary. control fail to operate automatically, for instance,

due to the exhaustion of fluid pressure, the various parts will be actuated as before to maintain the pressure on both sides of the piston at one atmosphere, so that the part to be controlled can be actuated manually,

the manual actuation of said part it will be understood with respect to the various modifications illustrated and. described that the levers 50 and 50*, when the parts are to be actuated manually, contact upon slight movements thereof about their pivots with some rigid portion of the valve housing. In the construction of housing illustrated these levers preferably contact with those portions which rovide bearings for the valve stems 68, 69, 7 0 and 71.

The constructions illustrated and de scribed herein are merel the preferred embodiments of my invention. It is to be understood that'I do not limit myself to these exact constructions, as many changes may be made in points of detail and modifications resorted to without deviating from the true spiritand scope of my invention. It is also to be understood that I do not confine my invention to any particular type of H ing machine. trated in a diagrammatic way the application of my invention to a tractor bi-plane, and it is obvious that the adaptation of my invention to any other type of machine is clearly within the purview and range of the ordinary mechanic. Furthermore, I have purposely omitted to illustrate or-describe the detailed mechanism of the tractor in order not to render the description unneces- In the drawings I have ilusadapted to move longiv 1. An intermediary control for flying ma chines comprising a control post, an arm manually operated and pivotally mounted upon the control post, a fluid pressure mechanism connected to and adapted to actuate said control post, and means carried by said mechanism and actuated by the control arm for admitting fluid to said pressure mechamsm.

2. An intermediary control for flying machines comprising a fluid pressure actuating means, in combination with means connected to a part of the machine to be controlled and actuated by said actuating means, mechanism carried by said actuating means for admitting fluid thereto and discharging fluid therefrom, and common means to manually actuate said actuated means and to control said mechanism to permit the flow of fluid to and the exhaust of fluid from said pressure actuating means, said pressure actuating means adapted to move sub stantially in synchronism with the movement of the manual means.

3. An intermediary control for flying ma chines comprisin a fluid pressure actuating means, valve mec anism carried thereby for controlling the flow of fluid to and the, egrhaust of fluid from said actuating means, in

combination with means connected to a part of the machine to be controlled and actuated v by said actuating means, and a manually movable means pivoted to said actuated means and adapted to actuate said valve mechanism, said actuating means adapted to move substantially in synchronism with the movement of the manual means.

4. An intermediary control for flying machines, comprising a fluid pressure actuating means in combination with a control post operatively connected to a part of the .machine to be controlled and actuated by said actuating means, valve mechanism carried by said actuati means, and a manually operated arm pivoted tosaid control post and adapted to actuate said valve mechanism to control the flow of fluid to and the exhaust of fluid from said actuating means.

5. An intermediary control for flying maprising means connected to a said fluid pressure actuating means adapted to move substantially in synchronism with the movement of said manually operated control arm.

6. An intermediary control for aerial machines comprising a fluid pressure actuating 7 means, in combination with a control post operatively connected to said actuating means and to an element of the machine to be controlled, valve mechanism carried by said actuating means, a control arm pivotally connected to the control post and adapted to actuate said valve mechanism upon the movement of said control post to admit a quantity of fluid to and from said fluid actuating means to resist the movement of the element to be controlled.

7. An intermediary control for aerial machine, comprising a fluid pressure actuating means, in combination with a control post actuated by said pressure actuating means, said control post being operatively connected toan element of the machine to be controlled, valve mechanism carried by said pressure actuating means to permit a flow of fluid thereto and exhaust of fluid therefrom, a manually operated control arm, and means on said control arm to actuate said valve mechanism upon the movement of the control post to resist the movement of the element to be controlled.

8. A control for flying machines comprising an actuating means provided with valve mechanism thereon, in combination with means connected to a part of the machine to 100 be controlled and adapted to be actuated by the actuating means, manually movable means for actuating said valve mechanism, and means on said manual means for operating said actuating means upon the failure 105 of the operation of the automatic means.

9. control for flying machines comprising means connected to a part of the machine to be controlled, a fluid pressure servo-motor including valve mechanism thereon, and 110 means common to the aforesaid means and to said valve. mechanism for either actuating the aforesaid means manually or for controlling the flow of fluid to and from said servo-motor to actuate said means 115 thereby.

10. A control for 11 ing machines comprising means connecte to a part of the machine to be controlled, 9. servo-motor actuated by fluid pressure, valve mechanism car- 120 ried by said servo-motor for admitting fluid pressure to and from said servo-motor, and means adapted to actuate the aforesaid means directly, or indirectly by actuating said valve mechanism and said servo-motor. 126

11. A control for 'flying machines compart of the machine to'be controlled, includl a servomotor provided with valve mechamsm thereon, and means carried by the aforesaid means 130 adapted to actuate the latter directly or adapted to actuate the same indirectly through the instrumentality of the servo- .motor.

with respect to said means, and means actuated by the movement of said mechanism about its pivot and connected to said valve mechanism for controlling the servo-motor.

13. A control for flying machines, comprising a pivotally mounted control post connected to a part of a machine to be controlled, a servo-motor for actuating the control post and provided with valve mechanism thereon, and actuating arm connected to the control post and movable as a unit therewith to operate said valve mechanism for controlling the servo-motor.

14. A control for flying machines, a movable cylinder connected to a part of the machine to be controlled, a piston and a piston rod for said cylinder fixed relatively to the machine, and means for admitting fluid under pressure to and for exhausting fluid from the opposite sides of said piston comprising valve mechanism carried by said cylinder and containing a plurality of inlet and outlet ports, valves for sald ports, and means for actuating said valves to move said cylinder, the movement of said cylinder being proportional to the movement of said actuating means.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afilx my signature.

ARTHUR 1*. BLASIAR. 

